Selecting an ISP and mail software

[ejensen]

Well, I've put up with dial-up and AOL long enough. I'm going to order DSL from Qwest. They push MSN but I do want MSN so will go with another ISP. I need to be able to read mail from the internet and have dialup options for remote areas. I'll be looking at the local providers (norther Colorado front range) as well as other national outfits. I prefer not to have to change address due to failures, mergers, or whatever. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Second I will need mail software. I will not use Internet Express. Mostly just need the basics with at least two email address, mine and the wife's.

TIA,
Eric

 

[wsuffa]

Well, if you get it from Quest, I guess you might have a choice at this point. FCC has just decided to let the broadband companies eliminate choice for you. Cable already has that.

I'm on SBC DSL, but I declined to "upgrade" to their Yahoo service. I have static IP addresses, and I bypass the ISP altogether.

If you take another ISP, you may have to pay twice because I suspect that Quest has bundled MSN into the price.

Choose carefully - you want a mail provider that will be around for a while.

As for email, perhaps just get a free account with Yahoo, MSN or the like. Also, if you find a broadband account cheap enough (but it only lacks dialup), something like PeoplePC offers cheap dialup capability. There's also one that offers both domestic and international on a pay-as-you-go basis, but I don't recall who it is.

 

[SkyHog]

I can't help you with DSL ISP info....but if you want to avoid Outlook Express, try either Opera's M2 or Eudora. Both are excellent Email programs.

 

[fgcason]

I don't get why some ISP's can't just say "here's a simple connection, no special software required, just dial up/connect however and have a ball"

Just a caution on the quest DSL, a few people I know in COS that recently switched to them have been having a wonderfully joyous time trying to get their connections to work for about 2 months now. It may be a local issue but last I heard, they were wishing they could get hold of people in India instead of the local experts to help solve the problem.

Try thunderbird for email. It's part of the mozilla stuff for the firefox browser but it's a standalone email system that doesn't require the browser if you don't want to. You can put email addresses on there all day long from what I can tell (I have 5 currently) Dirt simple to install and operate.
http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/

 

[mikea]

You can choose any way to connect and you don't need to worry who THEY choose for "your ISP" and just use Yahoo mail or Google mail for your email address. The local DSL company will get you connected and after that you can do what ever you want. Just don't install their software. Even if you do you are a free citizen of the 'net thereafter.

Both Yahoo and Google mail allow POP access to mail. (Google's is free.) That means you can use any email client you want. You don't want Outlook. You'll want Thunderbird from http://www.mozilla.org

Both Jann and I are on DSL and are using Thunderbird and Macs and PCs. It can connect to multiple email providers so you can see both your Yahoo and/or Google mail and the address that QWEST or whoever gives you. Since it uses just textfiles and it's not locked up in something Microsoft proprietary, you can even copy the Thunderbird mail store from one to the other. I copied Jann's old mail from her old Windows laptop to the Mac.

 

[ausrere]

I'll second the Thunderbird recommendation. I use it at home with gmail as my pop email. I love gmail. I like it because of the archiving. If you have access to a internet connection, you have access to the whole archive of your past email via a browser. No more "that email is on my home machine, I'll forward you a copy when I get home" nonsense.

 

[ejensen]

Well, if you get it from Quest, I guess you might have a choice at this point. FCC has just decided to let the broadband companies eliminate choice for you. Cable already has that.

I'm on SBC DSL, but I declined to "upgrade" to their Yahoo service. I have static IP addresses, and I bypass the ISP altogether.

If you take another ISP, you may have to pay twice because I suspect that Quest has bundled MSN into the price.

Choose carefully - you want a mail provider that will be around for a while.

As for email, perhaps just get a free account with Yahoo, MSN or the like. Also, if you find a broadband account cheap enough (but it only lacks dialup), something like PeoplePC offers cheap dialup capability. There's also one that offers both domestic and international on a pay-as-you-go basis, but I don't recall who it is.

Don't have cable, no plans to install so phone line is only option so far. I do have a choice with Qwest. There are others offering DSL but they are just reselling Qwest. Big list of ISPs in this area.

Basic DSL - $15.00/month
Basic +MSN - $26.99/month

Not sure I want to go to the trouble of becoming my own ISP. Is it a lot of work? Where do you get your IP? I enjoyed the tech stuff for years but kind of burned out on it.

I'll take a look at People PC.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[ejensen]

You can choose any way to connect and you don't need to worry who THEY choose for "your ISP" and just use Yahoo mail or Google mail for your email address. The local DSL company will get you connected and after that you can do what ever you want. Just don't install their software. Even if you do you are a free citizen of the 'net thereafter.

Both Yahoo and Google mail allow POP access to mail. (Google's is free.) That means you can use any email client you want. You don't want Outlook. You'll want Thunderbird from http://www.mozilla.org

Are you saying I don't need an ISP? All indication on Qwest website is that I need an ISP to order their DSL service.
I hear you on their software.

I can't say why but I've never felt real comfortable with the idea of going 100% with Yahoo or Google. I have accounts on both for 'throw away' registrations, etc. I've seen hotmail addresses blocked and wonder if other 'spam' addresses will be too.

Definitely will look at T-bird.

All I'm looking for is:

Browser to connect when I start it to a page of my choice.
Mail with off-line read, write, address book.
Mail that handles 'fancy' messages like AOPA Epilot and inline photos, etc.
Web access when traveling.
Web access to mail.

 

[wsuffa]

Don't have cable, no plans to install so phone line is only option so far. I do have a choice with Qwest. There are others offering DSL but they are just reselling Qwest. Big list of ISPs in this area.

Basic DSL - $15.00/month
Basic +MSN - $26.99/month

Not sure I want to go to the trouble of becoming my own ISP. Is it a lot of work? Where do you get your IP? I enjoyed the tech stuff for years but kind of burned out on it.

I'll take a look at People PC.

Thanks,
Eric

With the FCC ruling, Qwest could dump the resellers.

Basic DSL sounds like it comes without the ISP (or it may come just with an email address or two).

My IP block is assigned by SWBell. It's static. SWBell offers a block of 5 static addresses at a reasonable enough price. I ended up on SBC after trying Primus, which used SBC's lines. SBC provided such poor line services (noise, dropped, unbalanced) that Primus was useless (and SBC wanted them to go away). So I cut Primus off, and went with SBC. Still bitter about it, but whatcha gonna do when downtime reaches 25%?

 

[mikea]

Are you saying I don't need an ISP? All indication on Qwest website is that I need an ISP to order their DSL service.
I hear you on their software.

QWEST will be your ISP.

I think you think there's more to it than there is. When QWEST is asking if you're an ISP they're talking about resellers of the line who connect you themselves. You want QWEST to be your ISP, so they run the data line and connect it to the 'net.

1) Order the DSL/MSN(whatever) deal from QWEST.
2) Throw the CD they give you in a drawer.
3) Once they install, connect the Ethernet cable from the DSL modem to your PC. (You do have an Ethernet port, right?)
4) Boot your PC, start a browser, watch as you see a web page.

You may have to create or put a DSL password into the DSL modem/router. You should find out how to that on http://www.broadbandreprots.com

If you have no luck with that you can breakdown and install the software. DO NOT call QWEST tech support unless all of the above fails. If you used their CD once you get on online go to Add/remove programs and remove everything it installed.

5) Enjoy being online. Go to http://www.pilotsofamerica.com and tell us how you like it. Go to gmail.com and apply for a gmail address. Go to mozilla,.org and download Firefox and Thunderbird. GMail will tell you how to set up Thunderbird to use it.

I can't say why but I've never felt real comfortable with the idea of going 100% with Yahoo or Google. I have accounts on both for 'throw away' registrations, etc. I've seen hotmail addresses blocked and wonder if other 'spam' addresses will be too.

Definitely will look at T-bird.

All I'm looking for is:

Browser to connect when I start it to a page of my choice.
Mail with off-line read, write, address book.
Mail that handles 'fancy' messages like AOPA Epilot and inline photos, etc.
Web access when traveling.
Web access to mail.

I've never had a problem with my email being blocked.

The web based email servcie will grok HTML format mail liek ePilot. You alos usually have na option to get teh messages in plain text.

Occasionally some of the spam blacklist gnomes add a whole domain to the list because ONE user complained. It did happen with gmail. The blacklist goes away in a day. ISPs that use blacklists that dumb don't deserve to have customers - meaning if your mail to somebody gets blocked THEY have a problem.

 

[ejensen]

With the FCC ruling, Qwest could dump the resellers.

Basic DSL sounds like it comes without the ISP (or it may come just with an email address or two).

My IP block is assigned by SWBell. It's static. SWBell offers a block of 5 static addresses at a reasonable enough price. I ended up on SBC after trying Primus, which used SBC's lines. SBC provided such poor line services (noise, dropped, unbalanced) that Primus was useless (and SBC wanted them to go away). So I cut Primus off, and went with SBC. Still bitter about it, but whatcha gonna do when downtime reaches 25%?

Interesting. I always thought it was a little much to be forced to share your capital investments.

It is just a line, no email, ip, etc without MSN or another ISP. I didn't see anything were Qwest was offering IPs. Some of the ISP do list static IPs as a extra service.

Thanks, Bill

Eric

 

[ejensen]

QWEST will be your ISP.

I think you think there's more to it than there is. When QWEST is asking if you're an ISP they're talking about resellers of the line who connect you themselves. You want QWEST to be your ISP, so they run the data line and connect it to the 'net.

That's a possibility. The first networks I setup were before TCP/IP and the Internet. Can't even rememeber the software now, zodiac? But I don't get this idea from Qwest. The software they load is MSN. If you don't want that they give you a list of ISPs they will connect with. You must give one with your order. I hope it is as you say. I will do more research.

I've never had a problem with my email being blocked.

The web based email servcie will grok HTML format mail liek ePilot. You alos usually have na option to get teh messages in plain text.

Occasionally some of the spam blacklist gnomes add a whole domain to the list because ONE user complained. It did happen with gmail. The blacklist goes away in a day. ISPs that use blacklists that dumb don't deserve to have customers - meaning if your mail to somebody gets blocked THEY have a problem.

Problem may have been solved by improved technology. But a couple years ago several friends and relatives had problems with sites blocking their hotmail addresses and refusing to accept for services. These were financial, banking, and other commercial service sites.